Adventure Comics 247
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Contents
The Legion of Super-Heroes
One day in Smallville, Superboy encounters three super-youths from the future, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Boy (who later would be known as Lightning Lad), who invite him to join their super-hero club. Taking him to their own time in the 30th century, each of the three in turn takes him on in a test of super-skill. However, during each test, Superboy is sidetracked by other, more important missions. Consequently, he fails all three tests and is rejected for membership. When he takes his defeat like a good sport, the Legionnaires confess that they had engineered each diversion deliberately and lured the Boy of Steel from victory to see whether or not he could take defeat with a smile. In the end, the heroes from the future cheer him for passing his initiation and admit him into the Legion.
First appearances
This issue marks the first appearance of the following characters and recurring key Legion story elements:
- Cosmic Boy
- Saturn Girl
- Lightning Lad (as Lightning Boy)
- Legion of Super-Heroes
- Legion Time Bubble
- 30th century earth
- Legion jetpacks
- Super-Hero Clubhouse (inverted rocketship design)
- Legion tryouts
- Mission Monitor Board (called here the Television Trouble-Finder)
Unnamed members and the Legion fan phenomenon
Although Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad (Boy) are the only Legionnaires specifically named and clearly depicted in the story, three scenes show several other unnamed members in attendance. Some of these unknown characters do not resemble any members that would later play a role in Legion history. Perhaps they are merely unsuccessful membership applicants. However, several can not be seen clearly enough to completely rule out the possibility that they are known Legionnaires. One of the most distinquishable of these figures, shown twice, has green skin and blond hair and could quite easily be Brainiac 5.
A flashback in Adventure Comics 323 shows a scene from Superboy's induction at the end of this story that was not included in the original version. Triplicate Girl, Chameleon Boy, Invisible Kid, Colossal Boy and Brainiac 5 are among those present behind the scenes. In particular, if Brainiac 5, who joined the Legion at the same time as Supergirl, is present here, then this story must take place some time after the Legion story in Action Comics 276, during which they were both inducted. For a more detailed examination of all the clues that piece this puzzle together, read the related article on early Legion continuity.
Inconsistencies?
Strangely, Cosmic Boy's power is depicted as radiating from what he calls his "magnetic eyes." These are explained as the result of "special serums" that he has taken. While this is a great departure from essentially every later explanation for Rokk's powers, it has been proposed by some readers that such serums were administered during his youth, resulting in further enhancement of his natural Braalian magnetic powers. In most cases, Cos uses his hands to direct magnetic flows, but there is nothing to indicate that he couldn't do so with another part of his body. Perhaps at this early stage in his career, he was more accustomed to focusing his power with his eyes, although there is no indication of this in other stories, including those which chronologically take place at an earlier time.
Lightning "Boy" also utilizes his powers in a different way. Here he must clap his hands together to generate lightning, rather than simply "throwing" or casting them from one or both hands. This might be an early way that he learned to use his abilities, graduating later to what would become his preferred style. Once again, no stories prior to these events or after support that theory.
Other stories in this issue
There are two additional stories that do not feature the Legion. The Green Arrow and Speedy must overcome bad luck in "The Thirteen Superstition Arrows." Then "Aquaman's Super Sea-Squad" must race against time to help disable a nuclear projectile.
Reprints
This landmark Legion story has been reprinted numerous times over the years in a variety of formats, including:
